Jane Shemilt has created a taut psychological thriller that explores the deepest desperation of a heartbroken mother in The Daughter. Jenny has a better-than-average life. She’s a general practitioner, wife and mother of 17-year-old twin sons and a 15-year-old-daughter. Her husband is a neurosurgeon whose star seems to be on the ascendancy. Her children are on the university track, her sons play sports and her daughter has landed the lead in the school play. Every peg is in its place, every role is in its compartment — until Jenny’s daughter Naomi goes to school and doesn’t come home.

This gripping chronicle of a crumbling family alternates between the time of the disappearance and one year after. Jenny is filled with self-recrimination, endless uncertainty and fear. As the events in the wake of the disappearance unfold in flashbacks, we are introduced to a mother who refuses to passively accept what her family, friends and the police tell her. Through the tumult of her emotions she sifts through every piece of potential evidence and every possible witness she can unearth. Was it a crime of opportunity, or was someone seeking revenge? If so, was it personal or professional? Did Naomi leave of her own free will, or was she taken? As Jenny delves ever deeper into her own actions and those of her family, she will discover tragic truths and an unimaginable outcome. The perfect image she had of her family never truly existed.

First-time author Shemilt is also a full-time physician. The Daughter was shortlisted for the Janklow and Nesbit award and the Lucy Cavendish Fiction Prize. Fans of Liane Moriarty’s The Husband’s Secret and Rachel Joyce’s The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry will appreciate this journey to self-revelation.

The creation of this new nation weathered a major storm between two factions: the Federalists, who believed that in order to survive we must have a strong central government to unite us, and the Democratic-Republicans, who feared the engulfment of the states into a dictatorship. Serving as a constant reminder of previous servitude was the British government’s policy of kidnapping American sailors and impressing them into Great Britain’s Navy. Another source of controversy was the ongoing revolution in France, with the Democratic-Republicans rejoicing over the “triumph of the people” and the Federalists aghast at the liberal use of the guillotine.

Thomas Fleming’s brilliant portrait of the men and their times serves as a reminder of the miracle of independence, self-governance and the balance of powers. He explores the evolution through the eyes of George Washington, James Madison and Thomas Jefferson as their friendships ebb and flow with the political tide. These are not the stiff portraits hanging in the White House, rather, they are all too human, replete with petty jealousies, personal agendas and political ambitions. The origins of their arguments still resonate in our political landscape today.

A prolific writer, Fleming’s works include Washington’s Secret War: The Hidden History of Valley Forge, Now We Are Enemies and A Disease of the Public Mind. He has also contributed to PBS series The Irish in America and Liberty: The American Revolution. He has served as president of the Society of American Historians and is an honorary member of the New York State Society of the Cincinnati.

Two lives, seemingly unrelated, converge in unforeseen circumstances in Lou Berney’s The Long and Faraway Gone. Two events haunt their victims: the brutal murder of six movie theater employees, and the disappearance of a beautiful young woman. The ghosts from the past simply will not let go of the living.

Wyatt, the only survivor of the movie theater massacre, escapes Oklahoma City through his work, moving from one state to the next. Infamous for that single event, Wyatt changes his name and becomes a private investigator. A favor for a friend will start him on a path to the past to confront the one question that was never answered: Why was he spared?

Julianna worshipped her older sister, Genevieve, who took her to the fair and then disappeared forever. Genevieve left Julianna with $10 to buy food and told her she would be back in 15 minutes. In many ways, the now-37-year-old Julianna is still sitting on the bench at the fair waiting for her sister to return. Julianna is willing to sacrifice her career, her security and even her life to discover what happened to her sister that day.

As Wyatt works to discover the identity of a vandal determined to destroy his client’s business, he also uncovers the layers of denial that have dominated his life. As Julianna risks her sanity to uncover her sister’s fate, she must explore the demons that drove Genevieve to leave her that night.

Told in alternating voices, Berney twists his tale of obsession and corruption, of power and greed. Thoughtful, complex and absorbing, this character-driven novel is sure to please fans of intrigue. Berney’s unique plotting intertwines the characters’ stories deftly, proving that we can touch one another’s lives in wholly unexpected ways.

Ten years after an assassin’s bullet takes her husband’s life, Diane Fairmount champions the cause of his fledgling political party, The Common Way, in Brian Freeman’s suspense novel Season of Fear. Attractive, popular and topping the polls, it looks like Diane is destined to become Florida’s new Governor. When an insidious voice echoes from the past, Diane turns to her best friend Tarla Bolton, whose son is former FBI agent turned private investigator Cab Bolton. Cab explores beneath the hype and unearths dirty tricks, long-buried secrets and political machinations. There are right-wing extremists, covert political operations and the murder of a young political operative. Has Cab revealed a right-wing terrorist, or is it a shrewd plot to lead him off target? Teaming with political researcher Peach Piper, Cab must race against time to stop the killer. For there is another havoc on the horizon – a hurricane is bearing down on Tampa, Florida, and it just might permanently bury the evidence.

Brian Freeman has created a cross between Jack Reacher and Richard Castle; handsome, wealthy and dynamic. It’s impossible not to root for Peach, a deeply troubled young woman determined to avenge her friend’s death. Part complex political thriller, part intense police procedural, Freeman weaves a web of intrigue that will leave you gasping for air. Move over Virgil Flowers, and make room for Cab Bolton.

Brian Freeman is the internationally best-selling author of psychological suspense novels, including The Cold Nowhere, Spilled Blood and the The Burying Place. Brian's debut thriller Immoral won the Macavity Award and was a nominee for the Edgar, Dagger, Anthony, and Barry awards for best first novel. Cab Bolton first appears in The Bone House.

At the Water’s Edge by Sara Gruen is a deeply poignant story of love, friendship and the true rewards of life.

Madeline Hyde is a member of high society, and as such, it is expected that she and her husband deport themselves with at least a little dignity. But Maddie and her husband Ellis, along with their best friend Hank, enjoy an extravagant lifestyle filled with parties and pranks. One fateful New Year’s Eve night in 1945, they go too far and the disgrace is too much for Ellis’ parents. Maddie and Ellis are thrown out of the parent’s palatial home and forced to live on a pittance. Determined to get back into his father’s good graces, Ellis plots to redeem his father’s reputation. For Colonel Hyde has a scandal of his own; he claimed to see the Loch Ness Monster, and all of his evidence was later proved fraudulent. Designated physically unfit for military duty, Ellis and Hank are free to pursue their mad scheme, achieve fame and work their way back into Ellis’ fortune.

Ellis, Maddie and Hank endure a perilous sea voyage and arrive at a remote Scottish village to encounter the reality of war-torn Europe. Abandoned by Ellis and Hank for weeks at a time, Maddie discovers rationing, shortages and “making do or do without.” Left to her own devices, Maddie is enlightened to some harsh truths and forms genuine relationships. She also discovers that not all monsters are at the water’s edge.

Sara Gruen is a magical storyteller, immersing the reader in visions of extreme privilege and desperate hardship. This is a riveting tale of self-discovery, an examination of female friendship and the effects of of war on a small community. Sara Gruen is the #1 New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Water for Elephants, Ape House, Riding Lessons and Flying Changes.

One of the great paradoxes of history is Robert E. Lee’s decision to fight for the Confederacy rather than defend the Union. Jonathan Horn explores the great battle Lee fought within himself in The Man Who Would Not Be Washington.

Robert E. Lee was the son of a renowned Revolutionary General, the son-in-law of Washington’s adopted child and the keeper of the flame of Washington’s legacy. He graduated second in his class at West Point, fought for his country during the Mexican-American War, and was considered the natural choice to command the Union Army. Despite a lifetime defending the Constitution against all enemies, he could not bear arms against his neighbors. Horn’s extensive research follows Lee through his personal and professional life, illuminating the deep ties of family, affection and history that bound the Washington and Lee families. It is this one, fateful decision that has shaped our perception of Washington and created the American story.

Our nation’s story is not simply about the generals, but also the private soldiers. In Marching Home: The Union Veterans and Their Unending Civil War, Brian Jordan shatters the legend of the constantly faithful, overly sentimental soldier who attends reunions and speaks fondly of brothers-in-arms. Rather, the soldiers were tormented by wounds and memories. A new fight began after the war — the fight for dignity, fair compensation and recognition of their accomplishments. Determined to put the war behind them, civilians were unprepared for the return of shell-shocked veterans and unwilling to deal with their needs. Using pension records, diaries, letters and regimental histories, Brian Matthew Jordan has brought into stark relief the needs of veterans and the vast gulf between the home front and the battlefront.

Two great reads for Civil War devotees — from one Civil War nut to another!

Famous for her taut, gripping, forensic thrillers, Tess Gerritsen once again leads us to the edge in Die Again.

Seeing a dog in the window of a home with a human finger in his mouth, a mailman immediately contacts the police. Boston homicide detective Jane Rizzolli and forensic pathologist Moira Isles discover the body of a big-game hunter, trussed hanging upside down, and ultimately the victim of a large cat. Leon Gott has hunted big game and is considered the finest taxidermist in the business, but it looks like the animal kingdom has decided to redress the difference. Isles believes this case is tied to a series of suspicious incidents involving hikers in remote areas. All of those killings involved big cat attacks, and some were dismissed as unfortunate encounters with nature. The investigation leads to a link between the taxidermist and a group on safari in Africa victimized by a leopard.

Six years previously, a group of vacationers seeking a unique African experience joined a safari. Expecting exotic adventures, fabulous sights and romantic evenings by the fire, they instead fought for their lives in a world that was ruled by “eat or be eaten.” Told through the eyes of Millie Jacobson, a London bookstore owner, we travel alternately between the murder investigation in Boston and the growing horror in Botswana, as each vacationer is attacked and dragged away, one by one.

Gerritsen is a master at weaving grisly details into her forensic science, and the result is a suspense-filled trip through terror. The writer is also ably adept at drawing believable, deeply human characters who struggle with the normalcy of daily life while facing the worst human nature can provide. The complex relationships among the investigating team as they struggle to unearth the truth and unmask a killer add to the realistic portrayal.

Fans of Kathy Reichs, Patricia Cornwell and Jeffery Deaver will find this a deeply satisfying read. There is also a television series featuring Rizzoli and Isles. Just remember, this trip is not for the faint of heart.

Rachel could be like any commuter, scanning the scenery from the train as they slide by, aimlessly viewing the same landscape day after day. Except that Rachel has created a whole other world out of the window — finding a favorite house on a favorite block of Victorian homes, creating an entire persona around a golden couple she names Jess and Jason. They are the couple that Rachel and Tom used to be, before the alcohol, the scenes and the recriminations. They are everything Rachel had, until she turned to cocktails to dull the pain of infertility. Jess and Jason live only a few doors down the street from the house Rachel and Tom furnished with so much anticipation. Only now, Tom lives there with his new wife, Anna, who is pregnant with their first child.

The fantasy couple are really Megan and Scott, and they have problems just like everyone else. Megan is emotionally scarred by two tragic events she can’t reconcile. Scott senses she is hiding something, possibly another man, and his jealousy scars their relationship. Rachel sees Megan kissing a man that is not her husband, and shortly after, Megan disappears.

This book is told by three narrators: Rachel, the obsessed, delusional alcoholic struggling to make herself heard; Anna, the new young wife consumed with creating a perfect family; and the ill-fated Megan, propelled by the past she can’t relinquish and a future she can’t embrace. Gripping, suspenseful, an irresistible read, The Girl on the Train explores all facets of human nature, our understanding of the past and our perception of the present. Hawkins is a master storyteller, weaving a tale that is as compulsively readable as it is electrifying. If you enjoyed Gone Girl, hop on board. You are in for the ride your life.

Marcia Muller and Bill Pronzini take you on a journey as twisted and complex as the streets and alleys of San Francisco’s Chinatown in their latest work The Body Snatchers Affair. John Quincannon and Sabina Carpenter, former Pinkerton detectives now operating an independent detective agency, have seemingly unrelated cases. John is searching the back alleys for illicit opium dens in the hope of finding a prominent attorney who has gone off the rails. Sabina is trying to retrieve a corpse snatched from the vault of a recently bereaved wealthy family and foil the blackmailers’ ghoulish scheme. Operating in Chinatown under the imminent threat of a tong war, John and Sabina must negotiate the corruption in both the police department and the city’s underworld. They are also negotiating their increasingly complicated relationship as Sabina is wooed by a prominent gold engineer and John deals with his jealousy. Lurking in the shadows is a crackbrain character claiming to be Sherlock Holmes.

Rich with the atmosphere of late 1890s San Francisco, the author’s passion for the city’s culture and history shines through every page. They are the only living married couple to be named Grand Masters by the Mystery Writers of America. Marcia Muller is considered to be the mother of the female hardboiled detective genre, introducing Sharon McCone in Edwin of the Iron Shoes in 1977. Bill Pronzini is known for his Nameless detective series set in San Francisco. The Body SnatchersAffair is the third entry in this series, but is an excellent read even without reading the previous titles. Fans of Shirley Tallman, Victoria Thompson and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will enjoy the period, while fans of Agatha Christie will enjoy the plot twists and turns.

In an English village, a son awaits the undertaker after the death of his beloved mother. In a Serbian town, the murder of an archduke sends turbulence throughout Europe. Little does Inspector Ian Rutledge know how profoundly these deaths will affect his life.

Charles Todd’s A Fine Summer’s Day carries us back to 1914, before the war forever damaged a young inspector and an entire European generation. Resented by his superior for his upper class credentials, Rutledge must convince the obtuse, results-driven Chief Superintendent Bowles there is a pattern in seemingly unconnected murders. On the face of it, they all committed suicide. No one would drink that much laudanum unless they intended to end their life. But too many men of property are dying for no reason. Despite instructions, Rutledge resolves to unearth the common denominator before more innocent people lose their lives. While doing so, he must convince his fiancé that his profession is a true calling, not simply a whim easily discarded.

Rutledge, destined for a brilliant career at the Yard, is in love with Jean Gordon. He is determined to marry her despite advice against it. The daughter of a career Army officer who believes there is no greater glory than to serve King and Country, Jean urges Rutledge to claim that glory quickly, before the war ends. After all, it will all be over by Christmas.

This is the 17th entry in the Inspector Rutledge series by mother and son writing team David Todd Watjen and Carolyn L.T. Watjen. If you are new to the series, it’s the perfect introduction to one of the best characters in historical fiction today. For current readers, it’s deeply poignant to see Ian as he was before the war; idealistic, insightful, confident, composed. The Watjen’s have won the Barry Award and were finalists for the Anthony, Edgar, Dilys, Macavity, Agatha and Nero awards. As we honor the memories of those who served 100 years ago, this outstanding historical fiction truly brings a lost generation to life.